Racing

[roxy12]

amen to that!

 

[* Kate]

Hit the Nail on the head with being stuck in the catch 22 (Don't want to race coz don't feel they're good enough - but how do you get better if you don't!?) Totally Agree!!

I went to my first DH race yesterday (down at Long Gully) and that's got me massively motivated to get into racing!!

I'm pretty apprehensive about it, pruely because it is such a male dominated sport.

It was fantastic to see 2 girls racing (that's what inspired me...coz no matter what i'd have a placing!!! )

i reckon there need to be more Girl rides and that to put it out there that girls do ride and that may break this intimidation thing - or more of an excuse for more events

But also i learnt yesterday when i was at this race, that the boys were more then happy to see girls out there riding and have a crack!

 

[peep]

I think its a bit of good old Aussie pride. Us girls have it in spades and won't let those guys beat us..............well, maybe they can beat us, not all of them, but at least they can't call us soft.

I think we all love our bikes no matter what and thats what keeps us coming back for more.

Nicely put... Its great to see so many girls getting keen!

Hi SCF - I know what you mean about the expense of a full DH rig, its a bit too much for a dodgy student like myself! I've got a great compromise at the moment - a short travel duallie which I do everything on (commute, XC, DH).

This is another good point to throw into the discussion - I don't think having the latest and greatest DH or XC set-up is essential for anyone wanting to have a go. A sturdy bike with good brakes, and decent protective gear is a good start.

 

[dilemma]

I went to my first DH race yesterday (down at Long Gully) and that's got me massively motivated to get into racing!!

I'm pretty apprehensive about it, pruely because it is such a male dominated sport.

It was fantastic to see 2 girls racing (that's what inspired me...coz no matter what i'd have a placing!!! )

i reckon there need to be more Girl rides and that to put it out there that girls do ride and that may break this intimidation thing - or more of an excuse for more events

But also i learnt yesterday when i was at this race, that the boys were more then happy to see girls out there riding and have a crack!

Hey Kate! Glad to hear you're thinking about giving DH racing a crack. I thought about it and dreamed about it for about a year (or more!) and everytime I saw DH racing I was heaps motivated to get into it.

Good luck with it, hey!!

(It's pretty addictive...)

 

[Emziie]

1. Why are there not more girls interested in racing of any sort - downhill, mtnx or xc?

XC would be alright for me, but seeing the rock gardens and jumps that I see others do at races look to complicated for me. MTNX would be alright aswell, but I am not really a person that tries new things. And the fact that I am hopeless at riding may have something to do with it too

2. What would make it more enticing for girls to race?

I'm just too scared to try it, so I don't really have an answer for that question - Sorry!

 

[mtbmamma]

Hit the Nail on the head with being stuck in the catch 22 (Don't want to race coz don't feel they're good enough - but how do you get better if you don't!?) Totally Agree!!

I went to my first DH race yesterday (down at Long Gully) and that's got me massively motivated to get into racing!!

I'm pretty apprehensive about it, pruely because it is such a male dominated sport.

It was fantastic to see 2 girls racing (that's what inspired me...coz no matter what i'd have a placing!!! )

i reckon there need to be more Girl rides and that to put it out there that girls do ride and that may break this intimidation thing - or more of an excuse for more events

But also i learnt yesterday when i was at this race, that the boys were more then happy to see girls out there riding and have a crack!

Great to see you thinking about riding. The guys are usually great about girls getting into DH, very encouraging. Also yes, there are not many girls and those that race locally are split into 3 groups, elite, sport and veteran. So there is plenty of scope for girls to make the podium. As for girls only rides, we are trying with the CTMTB at Lithgow, 2 hours west of Sydney, to get a girls weekend going in January.

Anyway Kate, good luck and hopefully see you on the mountain soon.